As CEO of New Zealand Mint, Vedran Babic leads a unique bi-modal business with two distinct brands: New Zealand Mint, focused on bullion and precious metals investment products, and Agoro, dedicated to licensed precious-metal collectibles. Together they operate at the intersection of bullion investment and cultural collecting. In this conversation, he reflects on how craftsmanship, trusted minting infrastructure and global brand partnerships are reshaping the way gold and silver are experienced, not only as stores of value, but as meaningful objects that connect finance, culture and emotion.
Gold sits at the core of your activities as a mint. How do you think about gold’s role today – both as a store of value and as a medium for craftsmanship and expression?
Gold has always held a unique dual role in society. On one hand, it is one of the world’s oldest and most trusted stores of value. In times of uncertainty, investors continue to return to gold because it sits outside the financial system and has preserved purchasing power for centuries.
On the other hand, gold is also a remarkable medium for craftsmanship and expression. At the New Zealand Mint, we see it not only as an investment asset, but also as a canvas for storytelling. Through highly crafted collectibles and limited editions, gold becomes a way to capture cultural moments, celebrate artistry and connect people with something tangible and enduring. This is the focus of Agoro, the collectibles side of the business.
That duality is what makes gold so compelling. It is both rational and emotional. It can sit quietly in a vault as a store of value, or it can be transformed into an object that people treasure, display and pass down through generations.
Trust is fundamental in the precious-metals market. What do you see as the key factors that build and sustain confidence among investors and partners?
Trust in precious metals ultimately comes down to three things: integrity, transparency and consistency.
First, integrity of the metal itself. Investors need absolute confidence that what they are buying is genuine, properly sourced and accurately represented. That is non-negotiable.
Second, transparency in how businesses operate. Whether it is pricing, custody of metal or customer service, clarity builds long-term confidence.
Finally, consistency. Trust is not built through one interaction but through thousands of them over time. Delivering on commitments, maintaining strong governance and operating with a long-term mindset are what sustain credibility in this industry.
In this industry, reputation is everything. It is built slowly and carefully, and once established, it becomes one of the most valuable assets you have.
How is innovation – whether in technology, design or processes – shaping the way the New Zealand Mint approaches its future?
Innovation is central to how we think about the future.
On the investment side of the business, innovation is often about improving accessibility and efficiency. That includes better digital platforms, smoother customer experiences and more transparent custody and ownership structures for investors.
On the collectibles side, innovation is best reflected in product design, storytelling and manufacturing. We are constantly curious: exploring new formats, packaging and collectible mechanics that bring precious metals into entirely new categories of collecting.
More broadly, innovation is also about how we operate. The way we source, produce and connect with customers is evolving as rapidly as the products themselves. Our goal is to combine the credibility and heritage expected of a mint with the mindset of a modern product and brand company.
Your portfolio spans both investment products and highly crafted collectibles. How do you balance financial purpose with design and storytelling?
We think of these two areas as complementary rather than competing.
On the investment side, the focus is on purity, liquidity and trust. Investors want clarity and simplicity. Products need to be efficient vehicles for owning precious metal.
On the collectibles side, the emphasis shifts to creativity, design and narrative. Here, the inherent value of the metal is combined with cultural relevance and craftsmanship.
The common thread between the two is precious metal itself. Gold and silver provide intrinsic value that anchors everything we create. For collectors, that intrinsic value adds a layer of permanence and authenticity. For investors, it provides stability.
By operating in both spaces, we see the full spectrum of how people engage with precious metals, from purely financial ownership to emotional and cultural connection.
Looking ahead, how are you thinking about the New Zealand Mint’s direction and priorities as the gold market continues to evolve?
The gold market is evolving in interesting ways. Demand is increasingly global, technology is changing how people access precious metals, and younger generations are discovering gold in new formats.
For us, the priority is to continue strengthening our role across the precious-metals ecosystem while remaining true to the fundamentals of trust and quality.
That means continuing to support investors with reliable bullion products, while also expanding the reach of precious-metal collectibles into new audiences around the world.
Ultimately, our ambition is simple: to keep precious metals relevant in a modern world. Whether someone is buying gold as a store of value or collecting a beautifully crafted piece, we want them to experience the enduring appeal of something real, tangible and made to last.
